Sport

Murphy and Donegal wary of wounded Tyrone foe

Donegal are hot favourites to record a victory over Tyrone in the Ulster SFC opener on Sunday, but as skipper Michael Murphy told Gerry McLaughlin, they can take nothing for granted...

DRIVING FORCE: Donegal skipper Michael Murphy cut a disconsolate figure after last year’s All-Ireland final loss to Kerry and he admits the pain of defeat will act as a spur for the Tir Chonaill men this year
DRIVING FORCE: Donegal skipper Michael Murphy cut a disconsolate figure after last year’s All-Ireland final loss to Kerry and he admits the pain of defeat will act as a spur for the Tir Chonaill men this year DRIVING FORCE: Donegal skipper Michael Murphy cut a disconsolate figure after last year’s All-Ireland final loss to Kerry and he admits the pain of defeat will act as a spur for the Tir Chonaill men this year

IF Donegal had a Mount Rushmore then Michael Murphy would surely be carved in granite near its peak.

He would probably be along with Anthony Molloy, Brian McEniff, Jim McGuinness and Martin McHugh as five immortal icons.

The 26-year-old Murphy is the current King of the Hills and is any manager’s dream.

Unfailingly polite and always on message he has the pleasant, calming demeanour of a mannerly young man who would have your daughter home from the debs' ball in good time.

But there is also a Fomorian fierceness, a ferocious force of nature behind some of the soothing replies, as he stands lean and tall before journos desperately hoping for something illuminating at the press night in Donegal town.

For this is also the big man whose tackling is like getting hit by a train, according to Kerry legend Tomas O’Se… and Tomas would know.

And this is also the steely leader who freely admits he needs to work on those tackling skills following a few black cards in the recent National Football League.

Murphy is wearing a black top with the name Jack Doyle on the side.

Doyle was a flamboyant boxer who was known as the `Gorgeous Gael' and who tasted life through the teeth and had loads of sound bytes.

Michael Murphy has always preferred to do his talking on the pitch and is also a huge voice in the Donegal dressing room.

Sometimes it is forgotten that Murphy is one of the few, if not only men, to captain his county to three Ulster titles an All-Ireland title and an All-Ireland runners up.

But when a microphone is put before the Glenswilly giant he can churn out the well-rehearsed clichés with the best.

His tone is always respectful and that is entirely in keeping with his own persona.

When asked about the significance of Sunday’s clash with the “wounded animal” from Tyrone he is typically deadpan.

“All games nowadays are huge games as things have got so competitive. And this game against Tyrone on Sunday will be no different,'' he reasons.

“They are going to be coming into MacCumhaill Park on the back of the last National League game (where Donegal pulverized the Red Hands) and they will be wanting to prove something from their own case.

“But likewise we have something to prove also after our last performance in the National Football League (against Cork).

“Every game you go out to play in Ulster you have something to prove and this will no different on Sunday.''

He agrees that Donegal’s stunning success in Ulster in recent years has added a bit more pressure on the Tir Conaill men.

The bar is at its maximum height for Murphy and his men.

“Of course you have your own pressures to perform as an individual and as ourselves as a group of individuals,'' he says.

“It is all about getting your own game right and that is huge when you come into a collective.

“That is what we have been geared towards and focusing on and last year or the positives from last is not going to cut it.''

Murphy should know, as there is nobody in this team with more “cut” than its quiet, towering captain.

“You need to add in something new and different and in fairness Rory has brought that to the team,'' he adds.

“The newer players who have come in has been fresh and positive and hopefully they can add something and hopefully we can be improving ourselves also.

“But there is no point in looking any further than this Tyrone match.”

Donegal’s set-up is well known to Tyrone but the Tir Conaill team has loads of continuity in the form of Belleek boss Rory Gallagher.

“We are enjoying everything under him at the moment,'' stresses Murphy. “It has been fresh, it has been new, different and quite enjoyable.”

Last year, Kerry broke Donegal’s heart in the All-Ireland final, and they lost their talismanic manager Jim McGuinness shortly afterwards.

There is a telling picture of Murphy sitting on the sacred sod with devastation written all over him.

When asked if the pain of that bitter defeat would be a “significant driving force for Donegal” as new Sky pundit McGuinness predicted, he carefully veers briefly towards the generic and says;

“You would like to think it but I am sure every team will use a past defeat as an extra incentive or motivation.”

“It is six months plus past and it will always be there for us. We will be using it as a spur but Tyrone will also have their own.''

One thing is certain. Michael Murphy has never needed any motivation.

For he has dreamed and achieved his boyhood vision of captaining his county to an All-Ireland title, just like his childhood hero, and “Mount Rushmore colleague” Anthony Molloy…so what’s left.

Another Anglo Celt at least and it would be truly wonderful for Murphy to “Play It Again Sam”, for all those who proudly wear the green and gold.